


A Rekindling of Sorts

by RainbowArches



Category: Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. (TV), Marvel Cinematic Universe
Genre: F/F, Open Marriage, Past Relationship(s), Somewhat current established relationship
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-02-22
Updated: 2016-02-22
Packaged: 2018-05-22 14:08:04
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,094
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6082266
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/RainbowArches/pseuds/RainbowArches
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>They haven't seen each other in a while and things have changed, but it's not so bad.</p>
            </blockquote>





	A Rekindling of Sorts

It used to be easier to get away, before they had husbands and kids (not that the husbands minded; not that the kids noticed), before Lian started climbing the ladder, before Maria started feeling tired all the time. They used to get together every weekend, go dancing, find a nice hotel and fall into bed and stay there until the next afternoon. Maria didn’t have the energy anymore. Lian had the energy but had to direct it elsewhere.

Getting married didn’t put a kink in their relationship but Lian’s promotion did. Then she had a baby and then Maria had a baby and now they couldn’t remember the last time they got together, just the two of them to have some fun.

But this was kind of nice, sitting on the porch with the table all set for tea, watching Melinda and Tony play together on the lawn. They sat in easy silence most of the time. The kids were quiet too. Melinda showed Tony around the garden and helped him make a bouquet out of the flowery weeds growing along the fence.

“He looks like Howard,” Melinda commented. “But he has your personality.”

“He’s a wallflower alright. Wonder if it’ll last. How is Melinda liking school?”

“Sometimes she likes it, sometimes she doesn’t. She’s made some nice friends though.”

“That’s good.”

It was a cool summer. A soft breeze ruffled their hair and Maria caught a whiff of Lian’s perfume. She felt renewed. She wasn’t brimming with energy but her spirits were up. Howard’s house drained her. She didn’t know why. There was just so much space and she felt alone all the time. Howard lived in the lab, Jarvis cooked, cleaned, looked after Tony; whatever needed doing and then went home. Maria was left to her own devices. Her husband was interested in her and she couldn’t connect with her son. She tried. He was just such an odd child. Maybe she was better with older children.

But here she felt better. It was Jarvis’s day off. Sometimes he offered to take Tony but today he had something planned with Anna. Maria didn’t mind. She knew Tony had fun at the Jarvises but it was comforting to see him having fun here. And Melinda seemed to like him. Maria didn’t think she’d seen Melinda since she was two. She’d been a notoriously hard child to impress.

Lian looked relaxed. Maria had no doubt she was still on red alert and would be ready to dash at a moment’s notice, but she _looked_ relaxed, and some of that was probably genuinely felt.

It was a poorly hidden secret of Maria’s that she didn’t approve of Lian’s career choice. It made Lian happy- most days- and Maria _wanted_ to be happy for her, but all she felt was scared. She’d caught Lian limping earlier and she’d sucked in her lips to keep from asking about it. Any time one of them brought up her job they ended up arguing. Maria didn’t want to argue. Lian knew what she was doing, which was more than Maria could say for herself. It was a poorly hidden secret that Lian didn’t like Howard but she kept it to herself; Maria could do the same.

Tony came over with arms outstretched, wanting to be picked up. Maria pulled him into her lap and he curled up for a nap. Melinda entertained herself for a few more minutes before joining them, sitting between Maria and Lian, leaning against her mother while she tried her hand at a dandelion necklace. Now would be a good time to say their goodbyes, call it a day. Instead Maria pushed with her feet, rocking the swing chair gently back and forth, and Lian helped, trying to put both kids to sleep.

Lian carried Melinda upstairs to bed and Maria settled Tony on the couch, and then went back out to collect the dishes. Lian was running the sink when Maria got back. She grabbed the cloth from the tap without being asked and started washing the dishes. Lian raised an eyebrow at her but got a towel to dry whatever Maria handed her.

“Don’t look like that. I know how to be domestic.”

“Yes,” said Lian. “I know. I remember telling you several times; you _know how._ ”

Maria’s lips twitched at the familiar amused exasperation hiding just under Lian’s neutral tone. Maria had always appeared very modest and proper and shy, but Lian knew the truth. She was bone idol; that’s all.

There was nothing accidental about the way their fingers brushed when Lian took the saucer from her. Conversation ought to be more forthcoming, or at least Maria felt like it should. But it wasn’t. And neither of them minded. They slipped into silence as easily as they slipped into small, innocent touches, as easily as they slipped into chores they both hated but not so much at the moment. It was enough to remind them that they hadn’t lost each other; that their relationship didn’t have to be a loud passionate affair to be real. They’d changed but they still had each other.

Lian put the dishes away and Maria dried her hands on the damp towel. They leaned with their backs against the sink, shoulders pressed together. Lian hooked a finger around a lock of Maria’s hair and tucked it behind her ear. Maria felt that fond tolerance creeping into her expression. Maria’s hair was perfect at all times but Lian liked to fuss with it as though it wasn’t, taking one strand that was supposedly out of place and repositioning it _just so. Then_ it was perfect.

Maria retaliated by mussing Lian’s hair, which Lian calmly straightened with her fingers even though her hair tended to fall into place on its own. The clock ticked quietly in the background.

“How much longer would you say we have?” Lian asked.

Maria considered this but just as she was about to answer Tony wandered in, rubbing his eyes. Maria smiled apologetically at Lian and lifted Tony up.

“Plenty next time, if we time it right. But we should be getting home.”

“Next time then,” Lian agreed, walking them to the door. “If we’re lucky, maybe before New Year’s?”

“We can only try.”

They hovered at the door for a moment, trying to work out the best way to do this when one of them had their arms full of child. They leaned in and kissed each other on the cheek. “See you soon” didn’t feel like such an empty promise anymore.

 


End file.
